Theme: Methods of Travel
20A: Jet parked on a hill?: INCLINED PLANE
35A: Genoa-based ship?: ITALIAN SUB
42A: Ragu on rails? GRAVY TRAIN
56A: Bus on a bumpy road?: PITCHING COACH
Ragu is not GRAVY, is it? I don't understand the clue and answer for 56A. How is "on a bumpy road" connected with "PITCHING"? So strained, why not "Visitor to the Mound?"
I like how ITER (29D: Cicero's road) anchors the puzzle and intersects two theme entries. Excellent placement. I cannot tell whether the clue for SHEA (9D: George Beverly or John) is the constructors' original or not. It just strikes me as very obscure, though easily obtainable from the across fills.
For those who are interested in Merl Reagle's NY Times crossword puzzle & "The Simpsons" episode, this is Part I, this is Part II. If you don't have access to NY Times, try Philadelphia Inquirer. Merl also wrote a recap. There are some hidden diagnol messages for you to discover.
Across:
1A: Took wing: FLEW. I am not familiar with the idiom "Take wing". The first word that popped into my mind is ATE. I was thinking of the buffalo wings.
14A: Burt's ex: LONI. Here they are. Interesting, Reynolds dated both Adrienne Barbeau & Dolly Parton before. I just find it so hard to believe a 36-24-36 measurment. 34-24-34 is more real to me.
15A: Ancient mariner: NOAH. SINBAD is clued as "Mythical mariner" last time.
17A: Asian inland sea: ARAL. Often clued as "Shrinking Asian sea".
30A: Fragment: PIECE. And ITEM (57D: Article).
38A: Relevant: GERMANE. Is this word derived from "German"?
41A: Frankie's beach blanket partner: ANNETTE. From this movie I suppose. I've never heard of ANNETTE and Frankie.
46A: Family of Indy winners: UNSER. Learned from doing Xword. Not a racing fan.
61A: Vamp's accessory: FEATHER BOA
65A: Shady stand: ELMS. I could not figure why the clue is singular, then I remembered the clue for TREE ("A member of the stand") last Sunday. How can "stand" refer to "a group of trees" is beyond me.
66A: Golf hazard: TRAP. Our puzzle regular Ernie Els is brilliant at bunker shot.
67A: The Orlons 1963 hit: NOT ME. I got it from the down fills. Had no idea who The Orlons are.
Down:
1D: Natural talent: FLAIR. And ECLAT (54D: Great brilliance). I like positive & sunny words. AIDS & DIE depress me, even if they are innocently clued as "Lends a hand" & "Casino cube".
3D: Ratify: ENACT. My first thought is "endorse". ENACT is often clued as "Make into law".
4D: "Die Hard" star: WILLIS. Unless specified, the movie star clue is always asking for the surname of the actor/actress.
10D: Jazz flautist Herbie: MANN. Here is a nice clip. See Tito Puente? I did not know that "flautist" means "flutist".
11D: Holds the attention of: INTERESTS
26D: Grill brand: WEBER. Nice sign. New name to me also. I've never paid attention to our grill brand.
28D: "__ That a Shame": AIN'T. I guessed. Not familiar with this song.
31D: Serpent tail?: INE. Serpentine. "Hero tail?" too (Heroine).
34D: International accord: TRADE PACT
51D: Chucked: THREW. I kept reading the clue as "Chuckled".
59D: Iditarod destination: NOME. See this trail map. Why "Willow restart" instead of "Willow start"?
C.C.
20A: Jet parked on a hill?: INCLINED PLANE
35A: Genoa-based ship?: ITALIAN SUB
42A: Ragu on rails? GRAVY TRAIN
56A: Bus on a bumpy road?: PITCHING COACH
Ragu is not GRAVY, is it? I don't understand the clue and answer for 56A. How is "on a bumpy road" connected with "PITCHING"? So strained, why not "Visitor to the Mound?"
I like how ITER (29D: Cicero's road) anchors the puzzle and intersects two theme entries. Excellent placement. I cannot tell whether the clue for SHEA (9D: George Beverly or John) is the constructors' original or not. It just strikes me as very obscure, though easily obtainable from the across fills.
For those who are interested in Merl Reagle's NY Times crossword puzzle & "The Simpsons" episode, this is Part I, this is Part II. If you don't have access to NY Times, try Philadelphia Inquirer. Merl also wrote a recap. There are some hidden diagnol messages for you to discover.
Across:
1A: Took wing: FLEW. I am not familiar with the idiom "Take wing". The first word that popped into my mind is ATE. I was thinking of the buffalo wings.
14A: Burt's ex: LONI. Here they are. Interesting, Reynolds dated both Adrienne Barbeau & Dolly Parton before. I just find it so hard to believe a 36-24-36 measurment. 34-24-34 is more real to me.
15A: Ancient mariner: NOAH. SINBAD is clued as "Mythical mariner" last time.
17A: Asian inland sea: ARAL. Often clued as "Shrinking Asian sea".
30A: Fragment: PIECE. And ITEM (57D: Article).
38A: Relevant: GERMANE. Is this word derived from "German"?
41A: Frankie's beach blanket partner: ANNETTE. From this movie I suppose. I've never heard of ANNETTE and Frankie.
46A: Family of Indy winners: UNSER. Learned from doing Xword. Not a racing fan.
61A: Vamp's accessory: FEATHER BOA
65A: Shady stand: ELMS. I could not figure why the clue is singular, then I remembered the clue for TREE ("A member of the stand") last Sunday. How can "stand" refer to "a group of trees" is beyond me.
66A: Golf hazard: TRAP. Our puzzle regular Ernie Els is brilliant at bunker shot.
67A: The Orlons 1963 hit: NOT ME. I got it from the down fills. Had no idea who The Orlons are.
Down:
1D: Natural talent: FLAIR. And ECLAT (54D: Great brilliance). I like positive & sunny words. AIDS & DIE depress me, even if they are innocently clued as "Lends a hand" & "Casino cube".
3D: Ratify: ENACT. My first thought is "endorse". ENACT is often clued as "Make into law".
4D: "Die Hard" star: WILLIS. Unless specified, the movie star clue is always asking for the surname of the actor/actress.
10D: Jazz flautist Herbie: MANN. Here is a nice clip. See Tito Puente? I did not know that "flautist" means "flutist".
11D: Holds the attention of: INTERESTS
26D: Grill brand: WEBER. Nice sign. New name to me also. I've never paid attention to our grill brand.
28D: "__ That a Shame": AIN'T. I guessed. Not familiar with this song.
31D: Serpent tail?: INE. Serpentine. "Hero tail?" too (Heroine).
34D: International accord: TRADE PACT
51D: Chucked: THREW. I kept reading the clue as "Chuckled".
59D: Iditarod destination: NOME. See this trail map. Why "Willow restart" instead of "Willow start"?
C.C.
